Agoura Hills anticipates a half-million-dollar revenue loss

Looking ahead to more frugal times, the Agoura Hills City Council began addressing the city's spending priorities at a March 28 workshop, the first step toward formulating next year's municipal budget.

The city will lose between $500,000 and $600,000 in revenue next year, Mayor John Edelston said.

The slumping state economy has put pressure on the city's financial health, he said.

Since not as many people are staying at local hotels, the Agoura Hills transient occupancy (hotel) tax is down, according to city finance officials. With real estate prices depressed, many people are having their properties reassessed, which results in less property tax revenue for the city. The slower economy will also yeild lower sales taxes. Other state funding will be cut as well.

Edelston said that in the state's quest to correct its own budget problems, it has reduced payment to cities for funding local law enforcement.

The $11-million city budget will be shaved by about 5 percent, Edelston said.

Spending in four areas- administrative/finance, public works, community services, and community/economic development- was discussed.

Under administrative finance, officials listed several priorities including the city's business task force, which was formed last year to improve the business climate in the city. New this year is the possibility of a "green cities" initiative, which would help the city become more environmentally sensitive, Edelston said. The initial plan includes reducing energy use, water consumption, and trash while increasing efforts to recycle and implement green building standards

Officials also discussed accessing more government forms online.

The City Council reviewed the need for an emergency alert notification system that enables officials to notify residents of an emergency through a type of "reverse 911" technology, City Manager Greg Ramirez said.

Under the public works section, several projects were discussed, including the widening of the Reyes Adobe Bridge and the construction of Kanan Road/Agoura Road traffic roundabout.

Several community service programs were explored at the budget meeting, including a new Healthy Cities program and the One City, One Book event that debuted last year. Ramirez also listed the need for a feasibility study for a new Agoura Hills Recreation Center. City officials also want to provide enhanced senior programs and continue with the successful Reyes Adobe Days.

Expenditures in the community and economic development category included the city's General Plan update, a Ladyface Specific Plan modification, and the implementation of an Agoura Village Specific Plan and a Trails Master Plan. Housing and land entitlement issues were also listed.

"It went smoothly," Edelston said regarding the first of many budget workshops.

He said the council will review all possible expenditures in light of the impending revenue shortfall and determine how the city will balance what it "must provide" with what it would "like to provide."